Criminal Defence

Woodward Lawson are able to provide a high level of personal guidance throughout all forms of criminal prosecution in Aberdeen and elsewhere in Scotland. We provide expert representation in all types of criminal cases in the High Court, Sheriff or Justice of the Peace Courts.

Civil Litigation

Woodward Lawson represent clients in a broad range of civil court cases, both in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session.

Contractual Disputes

Contracts form the backbone of daily life in any business. Occasionally, difficulties arise in relation to what was actually agreed and disputes occur if one party does not do what the other expects them to do.

Guardianship & Incapacity

We have significant experience in relation to Guardianship applications both from the perspective of raising applications for Guardianship and also in opposing such applications in disputed cases. Ian Woodward-Nutt also regularly acts as a Court appointed reporter in relation to Guardianship cases.

Building Disputes

Whether you are a builder seeking payment for works which have run into difficulties or a client receiving possible defective building work, it is best to seek our advice at the earliest possible juncture.

Road Traffic Offences

Road Traffic Law forms part of the Criminal Law that is a broad and technically complicated area. If you have been charged by the police or have received papers intimating a criminal prosecution for an alleged road traffic offence, it is important to take advice from an experienced criminal defence lawyer at the earliest opportunity.

Debt Collection

Every business encounters debtors from time to time and this can seriously affect important cash flow. At Woodward Lawson, we provide a robust one-stop service from seven day letters to pursuing court action in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session.

Property & Boundary Disputes

Few aspects of life can cause such concern as a neighbour asserting rights over your land or preventing you from doing something on their land that you thought you had a right to do.

Family, Divorce & Children

The breakdown of a relationship, be it marriage, civil partnership or cohabitation, leads to all manner of financial worries and practical difficulties as the inevitable change in your personal circumstances occurs. This is especially so if there are children involved and major assets require to be divided.

Road Haulage Representation

Woodward Lawson are pleased to offer representation in all matters concerning road haulage and transport law.

Insight

News & Comment

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Where There’s Smoke…

08 July 2016

Imagine the situation. You have a fire at your premises. The Fire Brigade come out quickly and put it out. They do a visual inspection to satisfy themselves that it is extinguished. They go away. The fire re-ignites. Further fire damage is caused before the Fire Brigade can put it out for the second time. What do you do? Well, it’s obvious that you sue the Fire Brigade – apparently on the basis that (1) once they had conducted their visual inspection and before leaving, they should also have used a thermal imaging camera to locate any “questionable areas” in the smouldering debris, and (2) the Fire Brigade, instead of having their manpower available for any other emergency, should have maintained a regular check on your premises to make sure that the fire was truly extinguished. Doubtless, you might infer a certain amount of dryness in that last sentence!

In a recent case, Strathclyde Fire Brigade was taken to court by the farm of A J Allan (Blairmyle) Ltd in relation to a fire at a farmhouse where such a situation developed, and those arguments were then advanced at the Court of Session. The Inner House rejected the arguments on the basis that the Fire Brigade had not made matters worse or inflicted any fresh injury when they arrived at and dealt with the fire. It would not be fair to impose the duty and standards of care on the Fire Brigade claimed by the Pursuers in this action. The only duty of care which the Fire Brigade had to the public was to take reasonable care not to add to the damage which the owners of the premises would have suffered if the Fire Brigade had done nothing at all.